A SENIOR officer from a neighbouring force has been assigned to investigate the death of a 33-year-old man in police custody.

A SENIOR officer from a neighbouring force has been assigned to investigate the death of a 33-year-old man in police custody.

According to the Police Complaints Authority, to which the matter has been referred, officers of Cheshire Constabulary attended an address in Ellesmere Port at about 6pm last Thursday where they arrested Liverpool man Richard Macauley for alleged drug offences.

Following his arrest Mr Macauley was taken to Chester police station but before being booked into custody he collapsed.

Resuscitation was attempted and an ambulance called to take him to the Countess of Chester Hospital but he was pronounced dead there at 7.58pm.

A Cheshire Constabulary spokesman said the force had voluntarily referred the incident to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and a supervised investigation would now be conducted by Detective Superintendent Anthony Docherty, of Merseyside Police.

A PCA spokesman said: 'A post mortem examination was conducted on Friday and the outcome of toxicology tests are awaited.

'However, the interim cause of death is consistent with a drugs overdose. There was no evidence of trauma.'

An inquest into the death of Mr Macauley was opened yesterday by Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg.

At the hearing Det Supt Docherty said a search warrant was executed to search the house in Sutton Way, Ellesmere Port under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Mr Macauley was one of three males arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

An ambulance arrived which treated Mr Macauley who had cuts to his forearms and breathing difficulties, but he refused to go to hospital.

Det Supt Docherty said Mr Macauley was taken to Chester police station where he collapsed.

He said a number of substances were taken from Mr Macauley's stomach during a post mortem examination, including a cling film package.

Mr Macauley's family were told the police investigation could take several weeks and Mr Rheinberg adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed.